Qualcomm is expanding the reach of its Snapdragon platform across Samsung Electronics' Galaxy ecosystem, with Samsung's latest foldable smartphones, smartwatches and next-generation smart glasses all powered by Snapdragon processors. The move highlights the two companies' growing focus on on-device AI and seamless cross-device experiences.
According to Korean media reports, including TheElec and Edaily, Samsung's newly announced Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold8, Galaxy Z Flip8, Galaxy Watch9, Galaxy Watch Ultra2, and next-generation smart glasses all feature Qualcomm's Snapdragon platforms.
Snapdragon powers Galaxy AI across devices
The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold8 and Galaxy Z Flip8 are equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy mobile platform, built on Qualcomm's Oryon CPU architecture.
Qualcomm said the platform delivers improved responsiveness and power efficiency while supporting real-time on-device AI workloads, including computational photography, gaming and AI-enhanced connectivity.
In the wearables segment, both the Galaxy Watch9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra2 adopt the Snapdragon Wear Elite platform.
According to Qualcomm, the platform combines advanced sensor fusion with efficient connectivity to collect biometric data and deliver personalized health insights.
Android XR partnership expands to smart glasses
Qualcomm, Samsung and Google are also extending their Android XR collaboration to smart glasses powered by the Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 platform.
During Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event, the company showcased two smart-glasses designs developed in collaboration with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker. The products are expected to launch in the fall of 2026.
Executives highlight vision for on-device AI
Qualcomm President and CEO Cristiano Amon said AI is entering a new era in which intelligence is embedded directly into consumers' personal devices.
By powering Samsung's latest Galaxy smartphones, smartwatches and smart glasses with Snapdragon platforms, Qualcomm aims to deliver more natural, context-aware on-device AI experiences throughout the Galaxy ecosystem, he said.
Won-Joon Choi, chief operating officer and head of the R&D Office of Samsung's Mobile eXperience (MX) Business, said Samsung has optimized Snapdragon platforms for each Galaxy form factor to achieve the performance and power efficiency required for Galaxy AI.
He added that the collaboration enables users to enjoy a consistent Galaxy experience across smartphones, smartwatches and smart glasses.
Article translated by AI bot and edited by Scarlett Yu
